Beer poisoned with crocodile bile kills 72 in Mozambique

Mozambique government officials gather samples from a drum that was used to brew traditional local beer that killed dozens of people in Tete, Mozambique. According to the Associated Press, police say the drum has since disappeared, complicating the investigation.(Photo: Antonio Chimundo, AP)

The death toll continues to rise in Mozambique after people fell ill from drinking contaminated beer at a funeral over the weekend.

Seventy-two people have died from drinking the contaminated beer and 35 people remain hospitalized as of Tuesday according Paula Bernardo, director of health, women and social welfare in the northeastern Tete province, according to the Associated Press.

Originally 196 people were admitted to the hospital after drinking the home-brewed beer called Phombe on Friday. The traditional beer is brewed with millet or corn flour.

Officials believe the beer was poisoned with crocodile bile, according to the AP.

Blood and beer samples were sent to the capital of Maputo to be tested, provincial health director Carle Mosse said, according to the AP. Police say the barrel the beer was originally brewed in has disappeared, complicating the investigation.

Mozambique President Armando Guebuza declared three days of national mourning following the incident.